German moustache trainer : 20 Battalion, AIF

German moustache trainer made from a rectangular piece of thin cotton fabric with a semicircular section cut out of the centre top to accommodate the wearer's nose. On front and back on either side of the nose area the fabric is reinforced with vertical tan coloured celluloid strips, each piece attached to the fabric by three eyelets ( the centre eyelets are now absent). Two further strips of celluloid extend from the vertical strips on the front to the edges of the fabric on each side. The lower strips are damaged. Each end of the fabric is reinforced with a wider strip of celluloid, bent around the fabric and sewn to the end.

Threaded through each end piece of celluloid is a thin cord, which in turn is threaded through the folded end of a brown leather strap. A section of the cord is pulled through a small hole in the leather and is secured by a metal 'spring' around it. One of the straps has three holes reinforced by eyelets (middle one absent). The end has been cut off. The other strap has one hole reinforced by an eyelet, near the cord end, and a metal hook at the other end. This end is damaged.

This German moustache trainer was found in a captured position by members of the 20th Battalion AIF in April 1918. The exact location of the position is not known. During April, the battalion was in the line at Hangard Wood, south of Villers-Bretonneux and later in the month in the front line near Warloy, north east of Amiens. At Hangard Wood 'C' Company took part in an attack on German positions. They successfully reached their objective, However, due to the failure of the soldiers on their left flank to make their objective and heavy German counter attacks, the company were forced to withdraw. At Warloy, the battalion took part in patrols around German positions, on at least one occasion actually entering the German trenches.